What I'm learning from the editing process
- Thread starter scarletpeaches
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I know people don't like to 'waste' paper, but you can always shred and recycle it once you're done.
So yeah. Next first draft I print out will be double-spaced TNR at least. Slightly smaller type than Courier New, so it uses less paper, but still enough room to make corrections.
35k in - probably another 60k to go. Wish me luck.
So yeah. Next first draft I print out will be double-spaced TNR at least. Slightly smaller type than Courier New, so it uses less paper, but still enough room to make corrections.
35k in - probably another 60k to go. Wish me luck.
dpaterso
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Ever tried printing odd pages, then putting the paper back in and printing even pages on the reverse side? I do this one or two chapters at a time, saves paper and makes me feel I'm reading a *real* novel (as opposed to a pretentious load of twaddle).
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If you can handle making your hash marks and notes fairly small: I format my mss for submission -- Courier 12, dbl space -- then I set my word processor to print two pages per page, side by side landscape orientation. Still readable, still editable, but much more manageable paper-wise (esp. if your ms happens to be 1100 pages...)
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Never try to edit on a Kindle...never, never, never. It's a colossal waste of time though it is kind of cool to pretend you're published if only for a delusional second.
I've dropped paper for the most part. I do it all on my PC for better or worse and harness the computer to look for typos, adverbs, etc. I found some other programs on AW that I'm going to try that look for repeated words in close succession, passive verbs, that type of stuff. Never do by hand that which can be automated.
I've dropped paper for the most part. I do it all on my PC for better or worse and harness the computer to look for typos, adverbs, etc. I found some other programs on AW that I'm going to try that look for repeated words in close succession, passive verbs, that type of stuff. Never do by hand that which can be automated.
I disagree. Never automate what you can do yourself.
People read books for the most part, not eBooks, and you miss things on screen that you'd catch on paper.
If you wouldn't edit on a Kindle, why do it on a computer?
Still. At least editing's much quicker than writing the damn book, for me anyway.
I've already lopped 40k off the overall total, most of that being a result of getting rid of one of the 'main' characters who turned out to be not needed after all.
People read books for the most part, not eBooks, and you miss things on screen that you'd catch on paper.
If you wouldn't edit on a Kindle, why do it on a computer?
Still. At least editing's much quicker than writing the damn book, for me anyway.
I've already lopped 40k off the overall total, most of that being a result of getting rid of one of the 'main' characters who turned out to be not needed after all.
I prefer editing on the computer, too. However, I do print out, double-spaced, when traveling without tech. That includes cafe trips for me. Though all the world seems to be toting laptops to the shops, I have too great a phobia of some oaf with venti caramel lattes falling over my table and drenching the keyboard. And of my oafish self spilling said caramel lattes.
Paper can take the caffeine.
Paper can take the caffeine.
Computer screen works fine for me.
I wish toner and drums and paper grew on trees, and that I had enough time to read, make a bunch of illegible notes, go back to the notes, figure out what they meant at the time, find it on the computer, fix it, and do it again.
Well, I might be a bit wrong here. Paper does kind of grow on trees.
I wish toner and drums and paper grew on trees, and that I had enough time to read, make a bunch of illegible notes, go back to the notes, figure out what they meant at the time, find it on the computer, fix it, and do it again.
Well, I might be a bit wrong here. Paper does kind of grow on trees.
Can't say editing on paper slows me down. I've done 32k in the past six days.
Probably more if I'd DOUBLE-SPACED IT!
Probably more if I'd DOUBLE-SPACED IT!
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Because all you can really do on a Kindle is make notes, you can't actually change the text and then send the file back to your PC...at least as far as I know. Plus have you seen the keyboard on a Kindle? Lawdy, I don't send text messages from my cell phone in general so my fingers are not nimble on a Thumbelina sized keyboard like they are on a full sized keyboard. The nice thing about a Kindle, though, is I can kick back and relax when I read, like I would do with someone else's book because you are right, you catch different things when reading how you would normally read for pleasure vs. how you read on a monitor. It's just really inconvenient to have to jot down somehow anything you find when "kindling'.
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When I print-out for editing purposes, I use 1" margins all 'round, 11 pt TNR, with 1.5 spacing. I also start chapters on a new page, down 1", so I have guaranteed note room at least once a chapter.
When I can, I double-side the hard copy like a normal book, but when pressed for time (since I don't have an auto-duplexer or already had a bad day), I'll also print the first half of the book, flip the whole thing over and then print the other half on the backs of the first half. Same achievement, less fuss if the printer grabs 2-3 pages at a time and the "count" messes up--which is what always happens to me.
Scarlet> Did you actually have a good reason for printing out single-spaced or was it just a brain-fart?
When I can, I double-side the hard copy like a normal book, but when pressed for time (since I don't have an auto-duplexer or already had a bad day), I'll also print the first half of the book, flip the whole thing over and then print the other half on the backs of the first half. Same achievement, less fuss if the printer grabs 2-3 pages at a time and the "count" messes up--which is what always happens to me.
Scarlet> Did you actually have a good reason for printing out single-spaced or was it just a brain-fart?
Serious answer? This is the book I started for NaNo last year and at the time I gave editing no thought at all.
As I'm paranoid about backing up, I saved everything to multiple pen drives and SD cards, and also decided to print out a hard copy. Single-spaced to save paper.
So yeah...brain fart time. I printed as I wrote, not thinking (at first) that it would be a viable book, but it kept going...and going...and going...
Once I hit the halfway mark I won't need to edit as much, I reckon, because that's when I hit my stride as regards characterisation, so I can't wait.
Yeah. Learning curve and all that. Never again.
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I print with 1" margins, 12pt or larger type, double spaced on one side of the paper.
Last I checked, paper is a RENEWABLE resource.
My eyes aren't.
Last I checked, paper is a RENEWABLE resource.
My eyes aren't.
For those who only print on one side of the paper - WHY?
You can turn it over and run it through the printer again, you know. Just set it to print 'odd pages' then 'even pages'.
You can turn it over and run it through the printer again, you know. Just set it to print 'odd pages' then 'even pages'.
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I write my queries on three-foot-thick slabs of virgin-growth redwood. You really have to ask why I print everything single-sided?
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'Cause that leaves you the whole back side of the sheet to scribble notes or new scenes on.
That's why you double-space it, though. IF YOU'RE NOT STUPID LIKE ME.
Notes go in the margin or between the lines. In BIG RED LETTERS.
Notes go in the margin or between the lines. In BIG RED LETTERS.
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